Gov. Butch Otter plans to sign controversial teacher-contract and merit pay bills, SB 1108 and SB 1110, into law, he said Thursday - "Oh yes, I intend to sign 'em," he told reporters - and he criticized the school-reform plan's opponents, saying they're misinformed. “I’ve been disappointed that there was so much misinformation out there resulting in a lot of confusion,” Otter said in his first public comments since passage of two of state schools Supt. Tom Luna’s reform bills. “And I guess I’ve been disappointed in some ways that folks haven’t done the homework that they should have done on knowing and understanding those bills.” You can read Idaho Statesman reporter Brian Murphy's full report here.

Teachers, parents and students have staged rallies and protests across the state, Murphy reports, and they have grown angry about this characterization, made often by Luna. “I’ve tired of being labeled as misinformed or misguided by the teachers union,” said Boise parent Maria Greeley during a Wednesday rally at Capitol Park to protest the passage of the first two Senate bills. During the House debate this week, Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, said: “I understand it quite well, and there are parts of it I definitely don’t like.”